WA Lege Day 1: GOP dominated coalition wins control of Senate

Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Bellevue, makes a point during today's debate over new Senate rules.

OLYMPIA — With a Republican-dominated coalition in control of the Senate, bills involving abortion rights, environmental protection and gun control may have little chance of coming to votes in that chamber, minority Democrats said Monday.

As expected, a coalition of 23 Republicans and two Democrats seized control of the Senate during Monday’s opening session, passing their rules for shared governance over a rival plan by the chamber's 24 other Democrats.

“We will concentrate more on policy than politics,” Sen. Linda Evans Parlette, R-Wenatchee, said.

The new rules mean unprecedented level of power was being offered to share power in the chamber, coalition members said. Minority Democrats countered the new lineup means some legislation they think a majority of state voters would support won’t even get hearings. . .

To read the rest of this item, or to comment, click here to go inside the blog.